It all centers around the Megan Moroney concert at RODEOHOUSTON and a confrontation that led to Hidalgo leaving the stadium.

HOUSTON — The back and forth between the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo continued on Thursday.  It all centers around Tuesday night’s Megan Moroney concert at NRG Stadium. According to a new letter from Rodeo Chairwoman Pat Mann Phillips and President and CEO Chris Bolden, Hidalgo was told before the show that she wouldn’t be allowed on the ground level, or chute seating.

“Because the Megan Moroney concert was sold out and she’d already had chute seats several times prior, we had multiple conversations with members of her team and the Houston County Sports and Convention Corporation informing them that she did not have wristbands and was not authorized to access the dirt or chute area that evening,” the letter read. “She was aware of this prior to arriving and did not have the required wristbands to enter the area.”

The letter said this rodeo season, Hidalgo had watched shows from the chute seating three times and received 21 tickets totaling close to $9,000. The shows she saw from the chute seating, according to the letter, were J Balvin, Dwight Yoakam and Luke Bryan. In each of those instances, the rodeo said she had the necessary wristbands to be in chute seating.  On Tuesday for the Megan Moroney concert, they said she did not.  

On Wednesday, Hidalgo said no one told her she needed a pass to access that area, writing, “I have always been allowed on the dirt based on the county’s relationship with the rodeo, regardless of wristband,” she wrote. “Nobody has ever told me I needed a special pass to access the dirt. I don’t remember I or my guests ever wearing one and pictures show that. Nobody ever told me those seats were $425. I assumed that area was for friends of rodeo leaders or for rodeo leaders or such.”

Late Wednesday night, Hidalgo posted four videos to social media of her being confronted by security and rodeo personnel and then of being led out of the stadium. She said she was shoved and manhandled, claims rodeo officials deny. 

Hidalgo suggested in her letter Wednesday that she was treated this way because she was Hispanic or a woman. Those are claims the rodeo called in Thursday’s letter “absolutely false and insulting.”


Hidalgo’s leadership position with rodeo revoked

After the rodeo’s letter was sent out, Hidalgo posted on social media that she’s received some footage from NRG Stadium, but none of it was relevant. She also said she got word that the rodeo executive committee voted to revoke her Ex-Officio Director status and its privileges. The rodeo confirms it was revoked.

The Ex-Officio Director status gets the following, according to rodeo officials:

Access to the NRG Park grounds, including BBQ contest

Admission to NRG Stadium, though seating is not guaranteed

Gold personalized badge

One gold guest bag

Parking tag

All of the privileges of the board, other than voting

Opportunity to purchase director club membership


Below is the full letter sent by the rodeo on Thursday, March 12

“Judge Lina Hidalgo has attended the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on three occasions prior to March 10, each time with wristbands provided by the Rodeo for her and her guests to watch from the chute seats. In total, 21 tickets were provided to her across those visits, including for the J Balvin, Dwight Yoakam and Luke Bryan concerts with a total value of close to $9,000.

Chute seats are among the most premium experiences at RODEOHOUSTON, with tickets priced at approximately $425 each. Many guests purchase these seats specifically for the opportunity to be close to the action on the dirt and enjoy a special evening at the Rodeo. We have paying guests who invest in that experience, and our volunteers and staff work hard to ensure those guests receive what they paid for. Tickets at any level have not been requested by any other elected official in Houston or Harris County this year.

On March 10 we received information that the Judge wanted to attend the Megan Moroney concert, along with Creed, Chris Stapleton and Shaboozey concerts, all on the dirt. Because the Megan Moroney concert was sold out and she’d already had chute seats several times prior, we had multiple conversations with members of her team and the Houston County Sports and Convention Corporation informing them that she did not have wristbands and was not authorized to access the dirt or chute area that evening. She was aware of this prior to arriving and did not have the required wristbands to enter the area.

Despite that, Judge Hidalgo attempted to access the dirt area with guests who also did not have credentials or wristbands. She did have access to suite tickets that evening and was asked to return to her suite where she and her guests had tickets for the event. Our team respectfully addressed the situation, but the interaction became difficult for staff and security. There were numerous law enforcement officers who were present and none saw any physical harm including “manhandling”. Ultimately when she would not go back to her designated seats in the suite, she was escorted out.

We are very disappointed in Judge Hidalgo’s actions Tuesday night and since. But we must enforce the same access policies for everyone. The Judge is the only elected official to request, even demand, these seats night after night. As Chairwoman of the Board, the idea that she was treated this way because she’s a woman or Hispanic is absolutely false and insulting.

We want to thank our Gatekeepers volunteer committee and law enforcement for the professionalism they showed in handling this situation. These volunteers and first responders generously commit their time to support the Rodeo and help ensure that policies are followed so every guest can enjoy the event.

As a family-friendly Houston event with millions of visitors each year, we are committed to providing a welcoming experience to the entire community. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is committing $30 million to Texas youth and education in 2026 alone, with a total commitment of more than $660 million. We look forward to a busy week ahead and nine incredible days of Rodeo still to come.”


Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo initial statement

Sent to KHOU 11 on Wednesday, March 11

“On March 10, during the sold-out Megan Moroney concert, Judge Lina Hidalgo attempted to access the dirt area without a valid chute seat ticket. Additionally, she attempted to bring several guests, also without chute seat tickets. Rodeo security advised that dirt access is limited to chute seat ticket holders only, a premium ticket priced at $425 and the group was directed back to their ticketed seating.

Judge Hidalgo had suite tickets, and not a chute seat tickets. When the Judge said she and some guests were going to the chute area, she was told the chute tickets were all sold out. The judge went ahead to the chute area anyway with the guests, and were impeding the view of paying chute ticket holders. She was asked to leave the chute ticket area, and ultimately left the area. The Judge was not shoved, or threatened with arrest.”


Hidalgo’s full letter to rodeo officials

Sent on Wednesday, March 11

“Dear Chairman Phillips and Mr. Boleman,

Last night, I tried to bring a fellow elected official, her two children, and the parents of recently deceased U.S. Air Force First Sergeant David Saravia to the Houston rodeo performance. They are also the parents of an active duty military service member.

When I tried to walk onto the chute ticket area (“the dirt”), as I have always done, including earlier this week, rodeo committee members told me we weren’t able to enter because I didn’t have a wristband. I have always been allowed on the dirt based on the county’s relationship with the rodeo, regardless of wristband. Nobody has ever told me I needed a special pass to access the dirt. I don’t remember I or my guests ever wearing one and pictures show that. Nobody ever told me those seats were $425. I assumed that area was for friends of rodeo leaders or for rodeo leaders or such.

When I tried to ask that my guests be let in, the rodeo committee members first said the kids could stand in the back, but then proceeded to block the kids and mom from entering, grabbed me, shoved me, and threatened to arrest me. Even after I offered to leave if it meant that my guest and her kids were allowed to stay and finish watching the concert, the rodeo removed her and the kids from the dirt entirely. I had already been removed from the dirt.

At one point, a man in the crowd started heckling the little girl. At which point her mom asked a rodeo official to please tell the man to stop heckling her daughter. His response was, “well, I told you to leave.” She and the kids had not been asked to leave. It was me they were shoving. He proceeded to get uncomfortably close to the mom, who felt she was going to be shoved herself.

In my role as Harris County Judge, I have never accepted anything inappropriately or used my role to personally enrich myself even though many others have. I understand the rodeo committee members have a job to do. They are trying to keep thousands of people safe at the largest rodeo in the world. I did not want to prevent the committee members from doing their jobs, nor was I trying to take advantage of ‘privileges’ or call in favors. I was not even interested in seeing the concert. I was only interested in helping community members enjoy an important event.

Harris County has always enjoyed a collaborative relationship with the rodeo. The county owns and leases NRG stadium to HLSR, and by virtue of my position I am Ex Oficio Director of the Rodeo. The Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation – NRG Park provides Harris County with tickets to the rodeo every night so that community leaders can bring partners and stakeholders and celebrate an important event together as a community.

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo means so much to the Houston and Harris County community. In addition to the community pride it brings to our region, it also brings an incredible economic impact and provides millions of dollars in scholarships to local students. Some of my favorite memories during my time in office are riding into the stadium on horseback during Grand Entry, celebrating at the Black Heritage Day annual gala, and talking with folks in the community before the concerts.

I am bringing this to the public’s attention because last night was not reflective of the spirit of the rodeo, and I hope it doesn’t ever happen to anyone again. I, along with all of Harris County, was thrilled when Pat Mann Phillips was elected as the first female chair of HLSR after decades of male leadership. I have fought against ‘good ol boys clubs’ since I was first elected, and it’s important to me that the rodeo be a safe space for everyone in Harris County. No one should be treated the way we were treated, whether they are an elected official or not. I felt disrespected, threatened and physically unsafe – as did my guests and the kids.

While I appreciate the work that the rodeo staff and volunteers do to manage such a large event, I cannot be complacent.

I wonder, if I had been a male county executive, would they have reacted the same way? Would they have thrown a male Harris County executive’s guest with their young daughter and son out of the Harris County stadium? Would they have gone up to a male guest’s children and yanked them out of a seat?

I will not go near that area again. But I have never felt so unempowered as a woman as I did yesterday.

These days, not only are we fighting a war abroad, but some people, mostly white men, have felt emboldened to treat others, particularly Hispanics with physical force. I don’t travel without my passport anymore. Many of us do, especially those of us who are not white-passing.

I want the HLSR leadership to know that constituents of color and women, like me, deserve to be physically safe and to be treated with dignity. I hope nobody else experiences behavior like this.”


 

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